Worlds Apart
by words-are-my-weakness
Summary: When a young detective, Rachel Bailey, walked into the Major Incident Team over a year ago, Gill Murray did not think this dopey, slack, unprofessional woman would last. But now, twelve months on, the Chief Inspector couldn't imagine life without her. A series of moments between Gill and Rachel of what could have been... NOT IN ORDER OF EPISODES!
1. Chapter 1

When a young detective, Rachel Bailey, walked into the Major Incident Team over a year ago, Gill Murray did not think this dopey, slack, unprofessional woman would last. But now, twelve months on, the Chief Inspector couldn't imagine life without her; she described it as '_I'd be bored out of my tree without you to look forward to everyday'. _She kept Gill on her toes if nothing else; there was always a drama where Rachel Bailey was concerned, but she was one of the best young detectives she had ever come across. She saw Rachel as bright, young, beautiful, and reminded Gill of herself fifteen years previously.

Janet Scott was one of Gill's best friends, had been ever since their training days twenty years ago. She paired the up-and-coming detective with her; Gill knew Janet was a fantastic detective and with the support and guidance of both Janet and Gill, Rachel could be something very special.

But as the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, Rachel was proving to be a liability. Firstly, she had compromised a court case that was 'in the bag' by disclosing confidential information to her boyfriend, that turned out to be the defending lawyer in the court case, and then to top it off, she had PNC'd a car for no legitimate reason. Gill could have sacked Rachel over that, it was data protection, abusing her powers as a police officer, but she couldn't; it wasn't Janet trying to defend her, she just couldn't bear the thought of losing her now. Furthermore, Gill knew exactly how it felt to be humiliated by a man, and wasn't about to punish Rachel for falling in love and getting hurt.

Then Rachel told Gill she was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby. She had booked a day off for an abortion but couldn't go through with it. She got home from the clinic in a state, not knowing what to do for the best. She wanted to ring Janet, but she knew she had a lot on. Instead she texted Gill_. 'Give us a ring when you've got five mins. R x' _When Gill hadn't answered her phone, she decided to ring her boss instead.

"I'm just in a meeting" Gill said quietly, jumping up from the table in the briefing room.

"I'm sorry…" it went quiet as Rachel cried.

"What?" Gill asked concerned.

"I can't do this"

"I'm coming" Gill said, hanging up and running for the door, shouting orders at her team.

-X—

Rachel was half asleep when a knock came at the door. She rolled over rubbing her eyes. The visitor knocked again, louder this time. Rachel made it to the door and smiled, letting out a sigh as she saw Gill standing on the other side.

"Can I come in?" Gill asked. Rachel stepped to the side and let her past, shutting the door behind her. The pair walked side by side into the living room. "Are you alright?" she asked, already knowing she wasn't. Rachel just shook her head.

"Come here kid" Gill said, standing up and walking toward Rachel without arms outstretched. She held her head with her hands, Rachel's head pressed against Gill's chest.

"What would you do, if you were me?" Rachel asked, looking up at her boss, thinking the whole situation was a bit surreal, but at this particular moment in time, she couldn't think of anyone else's arms she would rather be in.

"I'd get rid of it" Gill answered, placing a kiss on Rachel's forehead. As Rachel's sobs become shallower, Gill helped her into her bedroom and lay her down on her bed. She pulled her boots off and the covers over her body. She stroked the hair from Rachel's face and smiled at her, realising what she really felt for this woman.

Rachel's eyes began to close and it finally hit Gill what she really felt. Realising she was in love with this woman was like realising Father Christmas doesn't exist. Her heart sank, knowing how far out of her league she was, her chest grew heavier and she wanted to cry. Rachel sat up at that moment and said "Thank you Gill".

"Rachel" Gill began.

"Yeah"

"I…I think….Oh God…" Gill's words failed.

"I'm sorry" Rachel answered.

"I'll understand if you hate me, but I'm falling for you Rachel" Gill confessed.

Rachel sat up and felt as though she had been hit by a truck. "You're what…" Rachel said astonished.

"I'm so sorry Rachel…God I'm such an idiot….If I had just kept my mouth shut" Gill shouted at herself.

"You really mean that don't you?" Gill only nodded. Rachel stared at Gill for a few moments longer.

"What?" Gill smiled nervously. Rachel lent forward, closing her eyes and opening her mouth slightly. It was as if a force pulled their mouths together, both of them with their eyes shut. The world came to a standstill as their lips locked around each other's. It was warm, soft, loving, everything Gill could have only dreamt of. Their mouths met and parted over and over again. Not once did their eyes open, they took every moment in, not wanting it to end. Gill pulled back first.

"You alright?" Gill asked.

"Yeah" Rachel replied slightly bewildered, trying to make sense of the past ten minutes.

"You lie down kid, it's been a long day, get some sleep eh?" she said, helping her back into her bed, covering her back up.

"Thanks Boss"


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: The dialogue at the beginning of this chapter is not mine; taken from Series 2, I do not own!**_

Rachel picked up the heavy cardboard box from her desk and walked down the stairs, struggling with its weight.

"_Night" she called to the sergeant on the front desk. She walked out of the building smiling, knowing that she would get home earlier than she would have any other night. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, balancing the box on her hip. As she glanced down at her phone she clipped her boss with the box. _

"_Sorry boss" she called apologetically. _

"_Rachel, has Janet gone?" Gill asked._

"_Yeah, she had a GCSE meeting at school with Elise" Rachel replied. "Why?"_

"_Do you fancy some overtime?" Gill asked._

She explained about the case she had been called to go and advise on, but being a chief inspector and having not done an interview in ten years, Gill needed a DC to go with her. Rachel jumped at the chance; she would get some extra money for her time, as well as the opportunity to learn from her boss and to prove herself to Gill.

Gill knew Janet had already left the office, but she couldn't ask Rachel outright to go with her, she knew she had to be subtle and go about it carefully. She wanted Rachel there; she wanted to be alone with her, away from prying eyes, so she could tell her how she felt about her.

"I'll pick you up in an hour" Gill told her, picking the phone back up to Sammy. Rachel didn't know Gill even knew where she lived, but didn't think any more of it, and carried on, on her way to the CPS before heading home to pack.

_X_

It was their first night in the hotel in Bristol. It had been a long day, the daylight had faded and night was beginning to fall. Rachel lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. As she began to drift off there was a knocking at the door. She turned over and grunted, not having the energy to stand up, let alone have to talk to someone. They knocked again.

"Alright" Rachel shouted, getting frustrated that they wouldn't stop. She walked to the door, stumbling over the bag left in the hallway.

"Boss" Rachel observed, not expecting it to be her.

"Can I come in?" Gill asked. Rachel moved to the side to let Gill past. They walked into the room together, Rachel sitting back on the end of the bed and Gill perching on a table opposite the brunette.

"I've just had a phone call from the CPS in Manchester, they're dropping the attempted murder charge against Nick Savage….insufficient, they're saying there's no evidence" Gill told her.

"So he's just going to walk?" Rachel asked in disbelief.

"He'll never work as a barrister again" Gill tried to reassure. She continued to try to convince Rachel she was safe and that Nick couldn't hurt her again, but Rachel didn't seem to believe her.

"Are you alright?" Gill asked. Rachel looked confused, she didn't know how she felt. "Stupid question" Gill said, knowing Rachel clearly wasn't alright. Gill lent forward and held Rachel's hands. She smiled at the younger woman, letting her know she was there for her. Rachel's head fell into her hands as Gill let her go. Gill's eyes filled up, unable to bare seeing Rachel in such a state.

"Boss?" Rachel called, worried about her; Gill looked worse than she felt. "What?" she asked.

"Rachel, I think you already know"

"Know what?" Rachel asked confused.

"I think you know what my feelings are towards you" Gill confessed. "I knew Janet had already left when I asked you, but I couldn't let you know then why I wanted you to come, you'd have said no"

"Well why did you want me to come?" Rachel questioned, growing more and more puzzled.

"Because I need you Rachel"

"I know, I'm a liability, and you haven't done an interview for ten years, you need someone to do your donkey work"

"No, Rachel, I need you" she emphasised the word 'need'.

"Oh God" Rachel breathed, the penny finally dropping.

"I'm head over heels Rachel, I need you, I need you now. I couldn't say anything in the office, that's why I wanted you here, away from it all. If they get wind of this back in Manchester, they'll hang us out to dry"

Rachel's breathing got deeper, starting to panic, she didn't know what to do for the best. Gill stood and made for the door, thinking she had ruined any chance she ever had of getting close to this woman. Rachel raced after her and slammed the door from behind Gill. Gill turned tightly, Rachel's hands on the door behind her, either side of her head. Gill grew more anxious, not knowing what Rachel was going to do. She leant into the smaller woman, feeling Gill's breath on her face. They hesitated for a moment, just watching each other. Rachel's arms grabbed hold of Gill's waist, pulling her closer to her. Rachel's lips brushed against Gill's, her tongue left trailing behind. Gill breathed out deeply, not expecting Rachel to have kissed her, and certainly not that passionately. She leant back in, needing her more with every kiss.

Rachel lifted the smaller woman up, Gill's legs wrapping around Rachel's waist, her arms around her neck. Rachel pushed her against the door, not letting her lips leave Gill's. She held her body tight into her own, and walked her over to the bed, lying her down gently. She climbed on top of her and kissed her once more before pulling back to survey her face. Gill smiled up at Rachel, still unable to believe what had happened.

"Are you sure about this?" Gill asked.

"Gill, you only had to say, we could have done this a long time ago!" Rachel told her. "How did someone like me get someone like you?"


	3. Chapter 3

It had been the day from hell. Everything was going wrong. Her brother had crashed her car; a complete write-off, she had missed her sergeant's exam and she had fallen out with her colleague. Rachel Bailey walked slowly back into Oldham Police Station with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had let her boss down so many times before, but still she had a job. Gill had threatened her more than once, that if she messed up again, she would _'walk through that door for the last time_'. Sometimes she wondered why she was still here and how she had not been back in uniform months ago; she believed Janet Scott was getting her through, but little did she know that her boss Gill Murray had ulterior motives.

Her head was filled with so many thoughts; her brother, her exam, Kevin, Janet, Gill, Sean, Nick Savage, resignation…. There was so many things going on, none of which were making sense. She was so deep in thought she just missed the door opening in front of her, it only clipping her arm. She continued to walk, taking one slow step at a time. The first flight of stairs she climbed with caution, but reached the top eventually. She continued onto the next.

She reached the top and went into her department, collapsing into the chair behind her desk. It was only moments before Janet came in and began interrogation. Rachel couldn't handle it. She loved Janet to bits, as a friend, but somehow she just couldn't tell her what she really felt. She palmed Janet off with her brother was in an accident and she missed the exam.

At that moment, Kevin entered the room, glaring at Rachel. She took a deep breath and looked away, unable to explain to him why she snapped so easily at him. She had her reasons, but words were her weakness.

"Are you alright Rach?" Janet asked as the colour drained from Rachel's face.

"Fine" she replied, grabbing her cigarettes from her pocket and making for the door, faster than she had entered the room moments ago. She didn't even make it to the bottom of the stairs. It was Gill.

"Rachel, I need you in the video room with me now please" she called. Rachel's heart sank, she needed her fag to calm her down, she was on the verge of losing control, and she couldn't afford to do that in front of her boss. She shoved the lighter and unlit cigarette back in her pocket and followed the smaller woman to the room.

"_Eh, how did your exam go_?" Gill asked. Rachel had been praying she wouldn't.

"I'm going to have to re-sit it next year, my brother had an accident, I missed it" she replied, hoping the brief explanation was enough to satisfy her boss. Gill didn't reply, she simply placed her right hand on Rachel's shoulder. She gave it a squeeze, letting the young detective know she was there for her, and quickly letting go, when she realised she didn't want to be seen letting the mask of a cold and callous bitch. Gill, deep down was warm, kind, caring and loving, but the last time she let anyone in to see what she was really like, Dave left her for another woman, leaving her a broken-hearted mess. It was safer for Gill to put on this hard exterior; that way she couldn't get hurt so easily.

"_Is he…alright_?" Gill asked.

"_Yes. He's fine. Thank you_" Rachel replied. Rachel's tears fell at that moment, when she realised the woman known as 'Godzilla' was nowhere near as awful as she thought, and really she did have a heart. Janet had always told Rachel that Gill was human; Rachel failed to see it, but now she could. Her tears fell. Harder. Louder.

Gill re-placed her hand on Rachel's shoulder, pulling her back towards her. She stood and leant forwards, grabbing Rachel as she was about to fall to the ground. She held the broken woman in her arms, stroking her hair and soothing her.

"I can't do this" Rachel sobbed.

"Do what?"

"My brother" she replied.

"What about him" Gill questioned.

"He crashed my car. He was unconscious for ten seconds, and stupid me, thinking he was at death's door, rushed to the hospital, missing my exam, and he strolls out without a scratch on him"

"You cared about him Rachel, because you love him. Someone has to; we all need someone to love us, and be there for us every time we get it wrong or mess up. It says more about you than anything; you're only human Rachel" Gill tried to console but knew she was failing, miserably.

"I don't want to be human, I want to be you"

"I wouldn't wish that on anyone!" Gill replied light-heartedly.

"But I do"

"You'll be in charge of your own syndicate in ten years, you watch this space" Gill answered, smiling at her.

"I meant with" Rachel stared at Gill, waiting for her to realise what she was trying to infer.

"You want to be _with_ me?" Gill repeated unsure of what she meant.

"Me with you Gill"

Gill stood back and ran to the door. She let a tear escape. She couldn't, however much she wanted to, she just couldn't.

"You've really fucked everything up, haven't you?" Gill cried, holding her head in a hand.

"I'm sorry Gill" Rachel tried.

Gill saw Rachel's face. She saw a completely broken woman, and she had just made it ten times worse. She kicked her while she was down, and she knew how that felt. She knew how she felt.

She crept forward slowly, sniffing her tears back, her hands hanging by her sides. She reached the table. Her hands pushed down into it, steadying herself. Her eyes closed. Her mouth opened. She could feel the warm air being breathed onto her face. Lips met lips for the first time. Cries stopped the second they touched. Problems disappeared. Papers began to fall to the floor as Gill leant further across the desk, trying to reach Rachel's body.

"I'm sorry" Gill replied.


	4. Chapter 4

"Is it really that barrister that got Stellikos off that we're on about?" Gill snapped angrily. Rachel nodded, knowing this conversation could only go one way. Gill had passed professional standard's number onto Nick's wife; Rachel thought her career was over. They continued passing comments to each other before Gill opened the door for Rachel to leave.

Kevin made a sarcastic remark to Rachel about her 'sleeping with the enemy' and Rachel shot straight back at him. She then left her desk and went downstairs for a cigarette. Gill followed.

"Do you mind if I have a drag?" Gill asked. Rachel was left puzzled.

"I didn't know you smoked?"

"Yeah, well, I don't, haven't for fifteen years, only on days like today Rachel, days like today" Gill replied. Rachel handed Gill the cigarette and Gill inhaled the tobacco; breathing out the smoke and her stress.

"I'm sorry if me sleeping with Nick compromised the case" Rachel said to Gill, refusing to make eye contact with her.

"It's not me you need to apologise to is it? Sian Cook, Hannah Conway, Caroline Savage, to name but a few"

"What's getting to you? It's not the fact I could have messed up this case is it. Not that I did" Rachel asked, growing confused by her boss' facial expression.

"It's because I'm jealous Rachel" Gill confessed.

"Jealous of what?"

"Nick" Gill replied.

"What about Nick?" Rachel questioned, unable to believe anyone would want to be like him.

"You and Nick. I'm jealous of him; I want to be him Rachel"

"Why?"

"I want to be the one sneaking off to hotels with you Rachel, I want to wake up next to you in the morning, I want to hold your hand and hug you when your upset, I don't want it to be Nick doing all those things" Gill replied tearfully.

"You. Me and You?" Rachel repeated, making sure she was understanding what Gill had said, and that she had not slipped into a parallel universe.

Gill only leant forward, wanting to silence Rachel with her lips, but there were outside a police station on a busy road of Manchester; it wasn't possible here. Instead her finger pressed against Rachel's lips.

"Sssshhhh" she breathed, removing her finger, as Rachel kissed against it.

"Come on" Rachel said, taking control and Gill by the hand. As they re-entered the building, Rachel looked up and down the corridor and her pace increased. They were still hand in hand. She pushed the door of the ladies' loos open and led her boss in there. She turned and pushed Gill against the door, their lips meeting for the first time.

"You haven't got to be jealous of the bastard now, I'm all yours" Rachel said seductively, biting down on her bottom lip. She leant into Gill, wrapping her arms around her waist and planting small kisses down her neck. Gill looked over Rachel's shoulder and into the mirror behind her. It looked right, they looked right together, it felt better than right. But how could they be wrong together when they looked and felt right?

Rachel took control immediately, spinning Gill round and lifting her onto the side next to the sinks. She leant in and pulled back, and in again, their lips meeting and parting. Rachel pushed her knee up between Gill's legs, causing her to let out a scream. She did not expect to feel the way she did. No one had ever caused her to be so aroused so quickly. Gill's legs parted naturally, granting Rachel access. Rachel's fingers caressed her leg, getting higher and higher; her hand disappearing under Gill's black skirt. She continued to explore the lower half of Gill's body with her fingers, Gill letting out little moans and words of encouragement. Rachel's fingers continued to work as she kissed Gill intensely. Her mouth pulled back but her fingers refused.

"You know" Rachel began "I can see right down your top from here" she said, needing her more and more, wanting to rip her top off so she could see everything, explore everything, with not only her hands.

"How does it look?" Gill asked.

"Bloody amazing" Rachel answered, placing a kiss on the skin in the opening of the smaller woman's shirt. One hand of Rachel's stayed below Gill's legs, the other moved to her chest, grabbing a handful of Gill's breast.

At that moment, just when Gill thought she couldn't take anymore, the door began to open. Rachel pulled back. The door closed, and no one entered. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Both women enjoyed the sneaking around, it made it more exciting, it was just part of it.

"You are amazing, I have never ever felt that good before" Gill complemented. Rachel smiled and shrugged her shoulders, not knowing how she had caused this feeling in her boss. "I never knew you felt like that Rachel"

"No. Neither did I" Rachel replied, being shocked by her own thoughts and feelings.

"My place, tonight? I need you"


	5. Chapter 5

Gill had rushed off home after a phone call, leaving her team worried. Andy had taken charge of the briefing, but Rachel could not concentrate for imagining all the things that could be wrong. Rachel was beginning to see Gill as a person and not just a chief inspector. Gill had a life outside of work; a son and a divorce hanging over her. She had really been through the mill, and people that weren't close to her couldn't see how damaged she was, not even Rachel, until now.

The briefing finally ended, and Janet and Rachel were the first out of the door. They got their coats and their bags, and at the moment, Janet's phone vibrated. She saw it was Gill, and therefore probably important, but she had had the day from hell and just wanted to get home. Rachel decided, when Janet had said goodnight and left, to ring Gill herself. There was no answer. So she got in her car and drove round to Gill's house. On the backstreets of Manchester, Rachel's borrowed Ford, reached a maximum of 60 miles per hour. She heard sirens. The brunette looked up into her mirror with her eyes and not her head, hoping she hadn't been caught speeding. She had. She pulled in to the side of the road and stepped out of the car.

"Alright" came the uniform's voice. It sounded familiar.

"Sean?" Rachel asked.

"Just wondered if you wanted to go out tonight, I finish in half an hour"

"Not tonight, something I've got to do, catch you later" Rachel said getting back into her car.

"Keep within the limits please, next time it may not be me driving up behind you" Sean shouted as she drove off.

_X_

Rachel knocked repetitively on the front door of her boss's home, but there was still no answer. She was now more worried than she was before. She bent down and opened the letterbox, to see Gill sitting on the floor in the hallway, her head in her hands, crying.

"Boss" Rachel called. "Come on, open the door"

Gill refused. Rachel waited some time, but she did not open up. She left eventually, but only got half way back to her car when her phone rang. It was Gill.

"Help me" Gill said shakily. Rachel ran back to the house, the door now open.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Rachel asked.

"Dave. He turned up here, drunk, saying how he still loved me, that I was better than _her"_

"Has he gone now?" Rachel asked, holding Gill's arm, keeping her upright.

"He's in there" Gill pointed to the living room. "I can't get him to go". Rachel looked around the doorway at the apology for a man slumped on the settee.

"You get one side, I'll get the other" Rachel said, quickly making the decision to remove him. She put the car keys in her mouth and grabbed hold of Dave's arm, pulling him up.

They struggled to the car with the dead weight between them. Gill climbed into the passenger seat beside Rachel, and Rachel turned on the engine. Dave lay on the back seat, dead to the world.

"Where to ma'am?" Rachel asked, ready to drive.

"His mother's. Stone Road, Harpurhey".

"Right you are" Rachel said, indicating out of her parking space.

_X_

The Ford pulled up outside the dimly lit terraced house on Stone Road, just after midnight. Gill went to ring the doorbell, while Rachel got Dave out of the car. Dave's mother and Gill talked for a while; she had been very sympathetic towards Gill when Dave left her, she had always had a soft spot for her; she said she 'bought out the best' in Dave.

Rachel dropped him on the sofa in his mother's house, quickly leaving the house to get back to Gill had gone back to the car. Rachel had never been one for keeping her mouth shut when she had an opinion; and on this occasion, her opinions were very strong, however, she knew Gill needed her at this present moment in time.

Gill was leant on the car, her shoulders shaking, and her face tear-stained. Rachel walked up behind her, startling her slightly, and wrapped her arms around her. Gill leant back into the hug, feeling lost in the taller woman's arms.

"Let's get you home" Rachel said, opening the car door for Gill to get in.

_X_

Gill lay down on the sofa in her front room with Rachel pulling a blanket over her.

"Rachel" Gill began "Can I ask you a question?" Rachel nodded and took a seat next to her.

"Have you ever…fallen, for the wrong person?" she asked.

"Yeah, plenty of times"

"But I mean, have you fallen for the wrong person, someone you can't tell you have fallen for them, because it would destroy everything. But you're so in love with them, you can't not tell them?" Gill asked confusing Rachel.

"Where are you going with this?" Rachel asked.

"I didn't realise it until tonight, but I have Rachel, I've fallen for you" Gill admitted. Rachel stood up and backed away from Gill, not knowing what to say or do. Gill followed her.

"Wait, Rachel please" Gill called. She took hold of Rachel's arms and leant forward, her lips meeting Rachel's. For a moment she sucked on the younger woman's lips, just like a baby sucking it's dummy. "Now tell me you don't feel the same"

Rachel did. She stood watching her boss for a moment, drinking her in. Then she leant back in to her, their lips crashing clumsily together. She pushed her backwards, Gill landing on her back on the settee, Rachel on top.

"I do feel the same" she spoke through her kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Janet flew up the stairs and into the office of her boss in a complete state, forgetting to knock.

"Janet?" Gill called, her colleague being mentally miles away. "Are you ok?" she asked. Janet shook, she couldn't focus, she couldn't speak. "Alright, sit down" Gill said, guiding her to a chair.

"R..R…Rach….Rachel" Janet eventually managed to get out.

"What about Rachel? Is she alright?" Gill asked, holding onto Janet to keep her upright.

Janet held up her phone. "Division….there was an accident…Rachel" Janet babbled, failing to make much sense. Gill let go of Janet and went to her desk, picking up the phone.

"DCI Murray" she said professionally and calmly. "I need to speak to the person that just spoke to my DC". Nodding and agreeing noises followed, and eventually Gill thanked the person on the other end and hung up.

"She's alright, there was a crash yes. The car just missed Rachel; the driver got out and Rachel chased him on foot. He slammed a gate and it hit her but as she caught up with him, he ran across a main road and was killed instantly. The girl he hit is in hospital but she should make a full recovery, just a few broken bones, nothing too serious" Gill repeated from the call she had just had with a uniformed officer.

"So she's ok" Janet double checked, her crying ceasing almost instantly.

"She's fine. I'm going to go and pick her up, you wait here, you're in no fit state. Won't be long cock" she told Janet, rubbing her arm and giving her a quick smile. Gill pulled on her coat and grabbed hold of her bag before leaving Janet alone in her office.

_X_

"You been causing trouble again?" Gill teased, going to sit beside the brunette in the curb of the road. Rachel smiled slightly, holding her face where it was bruised.

"Something like that yeah"

"Well, at least I'm not having to give you the kiss of life!" Gill joked.

"Shame" Rachel replied "I'll have to not move out of the way next time a car's driving at me" Rachel replied, more seriously than her boss had been.

"Yeah, it is. Although, if you want, we could always have a little re-run of the accident, back at mine tonight, Sammy's out?" Gill smiled seductively.

"Come on boss, help us up" Rachel said, lifting her arms, waiting for Gill. Her boss took hold of her hands, pausing for a moment, Gill's hands fitting perfectly in Rachel's before she helped her to her feet.

_X_

Gill opened the door to Rachel, taking her by the hand and leading her into the front room.

"Where do you want me ma'am?" Rachel teased.

"I know exactly where I want you, but for someone who was so ill she had to go home early from work, I don't think that's such a good idea" Gill replied jokingly.

"Made a miraculous recovery didn't I?"

"Well, then patient, you had better get down on the floor and lie in that hit-and-run position then hadn't you" Gill replied. Rachel didn't think Gill was actually serious, but then she grabbed her shoulders and lowered her to the floor. Rachel had hold of Gill's arms and pulled her on top of her.

"And there was me thinking I'd lost you" Gill spoke in a heartfelt way, that Rachel made a joke of.

"Can't get rid of me, I'm paid to drive you up the wall and round the bend aren't i?"

"I mean it Rachel, when Janet came running into me crying, saying you were involved in an accident, I couldn't help but imagine the worst, I really thought I'd lost you, and I couldn't bear it" Gill tearfully confessed.

"You really mean that don't you?" Rachel asked, finally realising what her boss meant.

Gill nodded. Rachel sat up, her lips meeting with Gill's for the first time; not a kiss, but touching enough to feel a warm, strange feeling inside, with the feel of lips on lips, and breath mixing with breath. Gill pressed her body weight onto Rachel's beneath her, their chests rubbing together. Rachel's mouth opened slightly; just enough for Gill's lower lip to fit in the gap, her top lip just above. She pulled her mouth together, hugging Rachel's mouth in her own.

"Will I live doctor?"


	7. Chapter 7

_**Dialogue in bold is that of ITV's Scott and Bailey; I do not own! This is the last chapter of this story; was beginning to run out of Gill/Rachel moments….Absolute fluff…Enjoy X**_

"**Tell me about Rachel Bailey**_**"**_ Detective Superintendent Julie Dodson asked her colleague and friend, Gill Murray.

"**Hey, you can keep your hands off of her, she's mine**" Gill replied, thinking _'in more ways than one!'_

"**I'm not headhunting**" Julie replied, giving nothing away. _'Good'_ Gill thought to herself.

"**So, what do you want to know**?" Gill asked.

"**Anything"**

"**She's clever, ambitious, instinctive, she's one of us**" Gill told Julie. '_She's beautiful, brilliant, and the best shag I've ever had!_' she thought, not able to say it out loud, although, she did want to shout it from the rooftops.

"**Any problems?"**

'_You mean apart from that we work together; I'm her boss and she's a woman; they'd eat us alive! Apart from that…?'_ Gill bit her tongue and thought hard before answering. "**She….talks before she thinks now and again, but no, I like her, a lot, wish I had more people like her**". _'More people like her; surrounded by beautiful young Rachel Baileys, I'd be in heaven!'_

Julie explained about Nick Savage; Gill was horrified, hoping it wasn't Rachel. Instinctively, she tried to defend her, Julie would have assumed it was because she was one of her officers, not that she was shagging her. She knew she wouldn't, she wasn't that stupid. Gill had dreamed about doing it herself sometimes; she hated that bastard for what he had done to Rachel, but she had a list of other people who would have liked Savage to cease to exist.

Rachel entered at that moment with a cup of tea for Julie. The three of them talked, and the more Rachel said, the more likely it was looking that she could have done it. Julie took Rachel's phone off of her and opened the door for Rachel to get her coat, ready to go to Duke Street nick to be interviewed. Rachel walked past Julie turning back to Gill, in a way that Julie couldn't see her face and mouthed 'I love you'. Gill's heart broke as the beautiful brunette left the room. She watched her put her coat on, and walk past her office. Rachel didn't take her eyes off of Gill, and as Julie passed the window, Gill mouthed back 'I love you too'.

_X_

It was the longest day in history for Gill; she was still awaiting news of Rachel, but nothing as of yet. Her phone rang eventually; it was Julie. As the conversation between the two women progressed, it became apparent to Gill that it couldn't have been Rachel. Her phone rang again. Julie. All she said was 'He's dead'. Her heart sank further.

"**Nick Savage died, half an hour ago**" Gill said, pacing up and down her office as Gill broke the bad news over the phone. "**I need to talk to you…not on the phone". **Rachel sobbed, knowing how bad it looked, and knowing how much she couldn't remember.

_X_

The two women talked and Rachel was starting to believe that she hadn't killed Nick.

"**But…if it turns out you had anything to do with this…I'll hang you out to dry…You know that don't you"** Gill told Rachel coldly. She loved her and Rachel knew it. She knew it wasn't her. But at the same time, Rachel had sworn to her she had nothing to do with it; and if it turned out she had; Gill couldn't be lied to again, hurt again, she didn't have the strength to cope with it all a second time.

_X_

A few hours passed and Gill's phone rang again. "I need to see you…now, and not in the office" Rachel shakily stated.

"I'm coming" Gill replied, putting down the phone and taking hold of her handbag.

She arrived at Rachel's flat fifteen minutes later. Rachel was lying on the sofa crying her eyes out. "What's happened?" Gill asked, sitting down next to her.

"It was Dom…he killed Nick"

"Why?" Gill asked.

"To protect me" Rachel cried, falling against Gill's shoulder. She could only hold the broken woman. "He's gone Gill, he got on a train and left. I've lost him all over again".

Gill couldn't answer. As a police officer she had to report it, but as Rachel's friend, her boss and her lover, she had to protect her first and foremost.

"I didn't hear that, you didn't just tell me that, alright?" she suggested, Rachel agreeing to keep quiet for his sake. They both knew that he could make a new life for himself; it was better than being locked up. She would miss him though.

They cuddled and cried intermittently on the settee for the rest of the afternoon; just when she thought things were getting better…well they were…sort of.


End file.
